Tension in Basra

The Iraqi police in Basra South of Iraq arrested two British soldiers yesterday. The Iraqi police said that the two solders were wearing Arabs uniforms. They exchanged fires with the police before arrested. A source from the IP said that they found weapons and explosives with them.

The two soldiers were then kept in a police detention for farther investigation about the aim of their action. However the commander of the British forces in Basra attacked the prison later and broken into its wall by tanks and released the two soldiers. He claimed that the soldiers were handed to a militia group a matter was refuted by the local Iraqi authorities.

The Basra authorities requested from the British commander to submit evidence that the two men are soldiers and he refused. The two (soldiers) were carrying no IDs or any other evidence.

Around 150 prisoners escaped after the British tanks broken the prison wall.

The whole issue and the vague surrounding the action of these soldiers plus the way that they released produced significant tension and raised many doubts.

This issue needs to be investigated and explained carefully to avoid any more tension which may be likely to increase in Basra towards the British forces in the next few days or weeks.